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It's A (Sick) Man's World
Sex offenders run the gamut of class, race, size and shape
How well do you really know your neighbors? Your youth group supervisor? The guy who just seems to be really great with kids? An analysis of the North Carolina sex offender registry system shows that convicted sex offenders live in almost every zip code in Mecklenburg County.
As the county expands, so does its list of registered sex offenders. Since Creative Loafing first printed their names in July 2001, the number of registered sex offenders in Mecklenburg County has grown 46 percent, from 376 to 551. Of those, only about half are under some sort of organized supervision associated with their probation or parole.
Aside from being almost all male, sex offenders come in every race, size and shape. Some are in their early 20s. Others are pushing 70. Some drive Mercedes and play golf at the club on the weekends while others take the bus to therapy sessions.
This is the third time CL has printed the sex offender registry, which is available online at http://sbi.jus.state.nc.us/DOJHAHT/SOR/Default.htm. We publish the contents of the registry as a public service and, over the years, have found that those who wouldn't ordinarily access the list online will read it if it's printed in our publication. Every time we print it, a group of parents inevitably discovers that a sex offender who has been barred from interacting with children as a part of his probation or parole has been going along on church youth group trips or coaching a little league team.
Our main aim, however, is always to increase awareness of the registry itself, how it works and what its limitations are.
The list includes those convicted of taking indecent liberties with a minor, rape of a minor, incest or crimes against adults ranging from sexual assault to rape. Some sex offenders have only one charge on their record. Others have rap sheets several pages long. Several have been convicted of victimizing both adults and children.
In 1996, Congress mandated that people convicted of certain sex-related crimes register their names and addresses with state and local authorities. The purpose of the registry law is not to punish sex offenders again for their crimes, but to provide the public easy access to centralized information about them that is already part of the public record, including their picture, what they did, and where they live.
In North Carolina, the registration requirement applies to those convicted of a sex offense on or after January 1, 1996. Sex offenders' names remain in the public database for 10 years if they aren't convicted of a new crime. That 10-year period begins after they're released from prison or, if they weren't sentenced to prison, immediately after conviction. If they move, they have to inform the County Sheriff's office of their new address.
NC's sex offenders must reregister each year by returning a verification form the State Bureau of Investigation mails to their last reported address. Failure to reregister can result in felony charges. If convicted, another 10 years is automatically added to the original 10-year registration period.
CL intern Christina Rumbaugh assisted in the reporting of this story.
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